Posts tagged ‘women guitars’

…the fact is that a survey published at the time showed that, while there are plenty of female artists, the majority of people working behind the scenes are still male (66%). In London, women represent only 30%. Another staggering statistic is that 47% of women in the music industry earn less than £10,000, compared with 35% of men, which may go some way to explain why there are even fewer of them in London, due to the high cost of living.

The attendees today decide that they should form an alliance, and the working title is mooted as the Relentless Women of SXSW. It has a forceful ring to it, and appropriate given that the number of women attending SXSW is rising every year. Gascoigne, who has attended SXSW four years running, says the presence of women this year is visibly larger than ever before. It’s an encouraging sign that at a conference which covers a trio of industries dominated by men – interactive, film and music – women are finding the time to band together in an effort to continue this trend.

Elizabeth “Libba” Cotten (1895-1987), best known for her timeless song “Freight Train,” built her musical legacy on a firm foundation of late 19th- and early 20th-century African-American instrumental traditions. Through her songwriting, her quietly commanding personality, and her unique left-handed guitar and banjo styles, she inspired and influenced generations of younger artists.

[The winning play] “Hurt Village” is based on a real housing project in Memphis that was torn down in about 2002, Ms. Hall said. “It became a cesspool of poverty and was crime-ridden,” she said. “I would drive past it and say ‘Where are all these people going once it’s demolished?’ ” The play centers on a young Iraq war veteran who returns from overseas to the complex as it is being dismantled.